Zekk, if that was in refrence to what I was saying I was not saying "all hired swords" just those that are elves but not "dark elfs" so it would allow both High Elf and Wood Elf hired swords. I also throw in the Bretonnian (all 0 of them) as fluff wise they fit with them. I think with that list you find 1 offical and 1 Dramatic Persona are allowed to them. Not a huge opening to them for hired swords really.

So while looking over my rules and recosting the Spite, I had a thought - why not drop some drawbacks in the spites as well?

Hows this sound to folks?

Quote :

Familiar Spite120 + D6x5 gc ; Rare 11 (Spirit Touched only)Sometimes a curious forest sprite will come to live with or around a Wood Elf. Usually only found within the forest, these spites will leave only with those they consider special. Roll once on the following table – this spite may not be sold back or exchanged with another member of the band. No more than a single spite per hero. 1 – Murderous: d3 extra close combat attacks at the user's WS, I3 S2. These count as Dagger attacks. Other models may not count this hero when checking to see if they are All Alone.2 – Radiant: – This model may negate enemy magic cast or targeted within 6” on a 5+. This model may never Hide.3 – Nurturing: This model may can recover one wound at any time, once per game on a roll of 4+. This model may not automatically take enemies out of action in close combat.4 – Protective: This model gains +1 to it's armor save. This model loses it's immunity to Fear.5 – Poisonous: This model wounds on a 4+ regardless of toughness. Before each game, roll a die. On a 1 the spite has accidentally poisoned it's master, and the hero must miss the game.6 – Distracting: Models in close combat with this model have a -1 to-hit modifier. This model may never use another model's Ld value or use it's Ld for rout checks.

Additionally, the fortunate presence of the spite allows the hero to re-roll a single die, once per game.

I like most of them other than Nurturing and Protective - I'm not sure about them. This was kind of a 5 minute brainstorm idea, so I'm sure this can be better refined.

I am really, really hesitant to make the Spite random every game. I feel like the fact that it's a random, permanent piece of equipment with drawbacks is balance enough. Imagine getting the Annoying Spite on your Leader! He can't use his Ld for rout checks anymore! Or a Pathfinder getting the Radiant Spite, or if your Wild Hunter or a Ladded Wardancer gets the Nurturing Spite, your CC guys can't take out the stunned anymore! Making it random means that rolling poorly just means your hero is inconvenienced for a game. When rolling poorly can really impact your hero, I think it makes it less of an automatic choice.

If it was random, sure I'd make it one per warband, because then you have a member with potentially ALL of the advantages of the spite. Also, Spirit-touched is required to get a Spite, and Spirit-touched removes your need to take All-alone checks, so that ability would be redundant.

Other fixes I'm looking at right now:

Hired Swords are gone. Asrai are too paranoid to put their fate in ANYONE'S hands.

Woodland Adept - making broken things rare and then giving the list a way to find them more easily isn't fair. This is going to be swapped for another skill.

Spellcasting -Zekk has suggested it go entirely. I really don't want to take it away, but I feel like it should be more limited in effect. I'm looking at changing some of the spells, bumping up casting values on some of them, and giving them a more naff spell or two - I really hate putting in choices that are not worthwhile, but it seems that's part of the game for spells in Mordheim.

Spite cost is still being tweaked, but I'm looking at a 150gc average cost with the drawbacks listed above. I might go 2d6x5.